Drum actuating cam for revolver-type gun



May 26, 1959 E. A. KAMP ETAL DRUM ACTUATING CAM FOR REVOLVER-TYPE GUN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1954 d. .M R .Y ME m N V e WAS fm mm ,N M/w, ma H i E/ Y B W nl" (hun.

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INVENTOR. |02 Ewald A- Rump BY Eugenia EL WELSEBI TTOZNEYS 2 .Sheets-Sheet 2 DRUM ACTUATING CAMl Fon REVOLVER-TYPE GUN Application December 1S, 1954, Serial No. 475,593

' 4 claims. (Cl. 894155) Our invention relates to a revolver-type automatic weapon having a drum with cartridge chambers, and more particularly to an actuator for rotating the drum to successively convey the chambers to a ring position in alignment with the barrel of the weapon.

Such a cartridge drum is usually provided with index rollers radially aligned with respective ones of the cartridge chambers and the weapon is provided with an actuator slidably disposed on the receiver and biased to a battery position. The 4actuator is provided with a central groove for engaging the one of the rollers, when disposed in the six oclock drum position, to retain the corresponding chamber in axial alignment with the barrel for discharge of the cartridge therein.

The actuatorv moves from and to the battery position responsive to the discharge and a pair of curved grooves provided in the surface of the `actuator are alternately connected to the central groove byY a switch tongue pivoted on the .actuator and operated by a cam to engage the rollers for acceleration and deceleration of the drum in rotation responsive to operation of the actuator and to yallow the rollers to pass across the actuator.

The entire strain on the switch tongue caused by the acceleration and decelerationof the. drum is borne by a switch pin and a pin follower -secured to the switch tongue and a large number ofmalfunctions have been caused by failure of these members'. Also, to maintain a low gun silhouette, minimum'..thickness of metal is provided between the drum surface and the chambers, which requires that the drum and the shaftsof the index rollers be integrally formed to yprovide the strength required for rotation of the drum. v

An object of our invention, therefore, is to provide a revolver-type automatic weapon having a cartridge drum with index rollers mounted intermediate the cartridge chambers of the drum. L

Another object of our invention is to provide a weapon of the type described with an integral actuator body for controlling the drum in the battery position thereof.

An additional objectof our invention is to provide an actuator for the weapon described, including pivoted wings to engage the rollers and rotate the drum between discharges of cartridges therein. n

Other aims and objects of our invention will appear from the following description and drawings.4

The weapon of our invention includes a drum similar to that described above except that the index rollers are disposed symmetrically intermediate the cartridge chambers. The thickness of metal in this portion of the drum is suicient to permit the roller shafts to be attached thereto by an insertion method to eliminate the high cost of forming the drums with integral shafts.`

YThe drum is rotated, to sequentially align successive onesof the chambers' with the barrel, by a reciprocable actuator having longitudinallydisposed and beveled guide surfaces simultaneously Vengageable by therollers positioned on opposite Isides of the particular chamber which .Ice i Pausntedy May 26,"1'9'59 i V n is aligned with the barrel. These two surfaces slidingy between the two rollers maintain alignment of such chamber with the bore of the barrel during thevtimethe rollers are in contact therewith. The two guide surfaceslare connected at the forward end by a curved passage, and! on each side ofthe actuator where the passage-joins the guide surfaces there is a pivotable.-gpiece, referredl to as a cam wing, which is provided` with an koutwardly flaring cam surface. The ytwo wings-aremounted andjoine'd sov as to move oppositely, and the right wing is spring loaded so as to be normally depressed whilev the other -wing is held in alignment with the corresponding-one of the-guide' surfaces. As the actuator moves rearwardly, the cam roller on the right side thereof clears the depressed cam wing and enters the passage while the other roller follows thev cam surface of the left cam wing causing the drum to rotate in a clockwise direction. As. the drum continues to rotate and the actuator reverses direction,.the roller in the passage erossestothe left side of thefactu# ator to depress the left one of the cam wings. rWhen the left cam wing is depressed, the right cam wing-moves up to be engaged by the succeeding roller on thefdrumfor deceleration of the drum. During ythe continued movement of the actuator to normal battery position, the two guide surfaces move between the rollers disposed on opposite sides of the following chamber to align such chamber with the barrel bore. This construction eliminates the requirement of a switch tongue and a cam for guiding thetongue. f ,l

In one form of our invention, a pair of integrated Wings is pivoted on a shaft journaled infthe actuatorand. in another form of our invention, ya pair of wings are pivoted on individual shafts journaled in the actuator and Econnected by apivoted link. In each case stresses due -to acceleration and deceleration of thedrum fare borne byv` the pi-vot shafts. y v j v f Fora more complete understanding of our invention, reference is made rto the following description and; theaccompanying `drawingsin which: 1 v

Fig. 1I is a partly cut-away side elevational view of ay weapon including one embodiment of .our invention with the actuator in battery position; ,1

Fig. 2 is a diminished perspective View offthe weapon;

Fig. 3 is a partlycut-away perspectiveview of the` cartridge drum and theactuator in the battery position thereof; .f

Fig. 4 is a partly cut-away perspective view of the recoil, unit and the actuator asthe drum is accelerated;

Fig. 5 is a view along line 5-5 of Fig. 1 but showing the left cam Wing ydepressed byyone of the rollers and the cam wingsseparately pivoted and pivotally linked;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing an alternate embodiment having a block including integral wings pivoted on the actuator; t

Fig. 7 is `a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing an'alternate embodiment having a block including integral wings rotatable in grooves in the actuator; and v f 5 Fig. 8 is a perspectiveyiew of the body shown in.Fig.f7.

According to thefdrawings,`a revolver-type automatic weapon 12 is provided with a 4receiver 14 including front and rear trunnions ,16 and 18, respectively, and a recoilV unit 20 including a barrel 22 slidable on rails 24 in. receiver 14. l j v A drum 26 is mounted as by spline means on a shaft 32 which lis journaled for rotation at 34 andl 36y in recoil unit 20, Iand such `drum is provided with a plurality of cartridge chambers 28 ,which are sequentially, alignable with the bore of barrel 22. A plurality of pins 51, equal to the number of chambers 28, are xedly mounted to drum 26 so as to project radially therefrom vand are disposed symmetrically intermediate such cham-` bers. A roller 40 is mounted Aon each of the pins 51.V

w um A u w piston 48` connected to a plunger 50 projecting rearwardly from recoil unit 20. A passage 52 through barrel 22 and in receiver 14 and a tube 54 projecting between receiverw14-rand'lrecoil unit 20-connects barrel 22 with cylinder46; l l

actuator i 56 is slidablymounted in receiver 14 irnmediately below-drumr26 for longitudinal reciprocation between a` battery andfa.retracted Iposition by means of radiallyvprojecting ange portions 58 which areslidably received in longitudinal ways 60 disposed along the inner sides of the receiver. Actuator-56 is biased to the battery position by apair of coil springs 62 which are'mounted over guide` rods 64.`

Actuator56 isprovided with attop'surface 66 `which is arcuately formedso as to be essentially coaxial with thelperiphery of drum 26," and such surface is interrupted by fa' curved passage 72"which slidably receives successive. ones4 of `the'rrollers- 401to provide clearance therefor across the actuator vwhenI drum 26 is rotated'responsive to-fthereciprocation ofthe actuator as hereinafter explained. Passage 72 forms inractuator 56- a tongue portion 73` whichfis insertable between pairs of the rollers 40-duringfmovement of the actuator to battery position. A left guidef surface74and alright guide surface 76 extend rearwardly from theendsof passage 72 along the respectivesidesl of tongue73, and such guide surfaces are parallellyspaced and beveled so as to be simultaneously engageable with pairs of rollers 40 for sequentially indexing the chamber 28` therebetween into alignment with barrel `22 and blocking rotation of drum 26 when the cartridge in such chamber is tired. Provided in thelower front portions of both sides of actuator S6 are similar recesses 77 which receive, respectively, a left cam wing 80and a rightcam` wing 78. Such cam wings '78 and 80 are mounted respectivelyon longitudinalv shafts 86 and 87 for pivotal movement between a position for engaging ones of therollers 40 and a depressed position clear of engagementwith such rollers, and suchwings are joined by a link 88 so as to move oppositely betweensuch engaging and depressed positions. Provided respectively on the` outer sides of the wings 78 and 80 are arcuate cam surfaces 82 and 84 whicliflair outwardly from actuator S6. Also, provided! on each of the cam wings 78 and `80 is a follower surface85which surfaces are disposed to releasably block theends of the passagef72 and be engageable `bysuccessive ones of the rollers 40 when leaving suchpassage to actuate the corresponding cam wing from the engaging to the depressed position. When either one of the wings 78 or 80 is in the engaged position, the respective camsurface 82 or 84I thereon forms an extension` of the corresponding one of the guide surfaces 76 or 74 and is engageableeeither by oneof the rollers 40 `to accelerate drum26 for rotation during movement of actuator 56 to the rearward position or by one ofthe rollers to decelerate the drum during movement of the actuator to the'battery position.

A spring 90 is selectively mountedbetween'one ofthe camwings` 7S ory 80 and actuator 56to bias suchselected cam wing to the `depressed position. The direction in which drum 26 is to be rotated determines which of the cam wings is to be normally biased by the springto the depressed position. In the selected embodiment, drum 26is` to be rotated in a clockwise direction for proper operation of weaponV 12 whereby, as is shown in the drawings, spring 90 `is mounted between actuator 56 and right cam wing 78.

Gases fromthetdischarge of cartridge 38flow through barrel 22`, passage 52, and tube S4 into cylinder 46- Piston-48 and plunger 50- move rearwardly responsive to pressureof the gases to force actuator 56to slide against springs 62 and as the projectile of cartridge 38 leavesbarrel 22, the pressure on piston 48` is released and actuator 56 slides forwardly responsive to reactionA of springs 62 and kineticenergyof `drum 26; Cam surfaces 82 and' 84 are outwardly from actuator 56 and during the rearward stroke-of the' actuator, cam` surface 84 engages the roller 40 aligned therewith to accelerate drum 26 in clockwise rotation. Passage 72 is curved to permit progress of the roller 40 on the right side of actuator 56 to the left side during rotation of drum 20 and reciprocation of such actuator. As such roller 40 leaves passage; 72 during the forward movement of actuator 56, the follower surface 85 on left cam wing 80 is engaged by the roller to pivot such cam Wing to the depressed position. Consequently, rightlcam wing 78 is pivoted, by means of `link 88, to the engaging position in time for engagement by a succeeding one of the rollers 40 to decelerate drum 20. As actuator 56 returns to battery position atthe` endl of the cycle, guide surfaces 74 and 76 engage the pairs of rollers 40 disposed on opposite sides of the succeeding chamber 30, now aligned with barrel 22, to retain such chamber in axial alignment with the barrel.

In the embodiment shown in Fig; 6, a body 92 having wings 94 and 96 formed thereon is pivoted at 98 in an actuator slidable in av receiver 102 for alternate cam engagement of the wings with the rollers. Spring 9d is disposed between actuator 100` and wing 96' to bias wing 94 into cam contact with the rollers for operation similar to that described above for actuator 56.

In the embodiment of Fig. 7, a body 104 including wings 94 and 96 is effectively pivotedy about an axial line 98 by means of forwardly and rearwardly extending curved flanges 106 disposed in corresponding curved grooves 112 in anactuator 108 slidable in a receiver 110. As shown in Fig-7, axial line 98 may be in the base of receiver 110.

It was found that the embodiments of Figures 6'and 5, respectively, producethe highest and `lowest silhouettes for weapon 12.

While the foregoing is a description of the preferred" embodiment, We intend in' the `following claims to include those modifications and variations thereof that are within the spirit and scope of ourinvention;

We claim:

1. A revolver-typeautomatic` gun including a receiver, a barrel, a drum rotatablyV mounted in the receiver and provided with a plurality'of cartridge chambers disposed for successive alignment with said barrel,` an actuator slidingly mounted in said receiveradjacent said drum for reciprocation between a battery and a rearward position during cyclic operation of said gun, a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted to said drum intermediate said cartridge chambers; an integral tongue portion on said actuator insertable between pairs of said rollers during actuation of saidactuator to the battery position for aligning the Vone ofsaid chambers between the engaged ones of said rollers with said barrel, and a pair of longitudinally disposed guide surfaces disposed on opposite sides of said actuator forl simultaneous contact with said engagedones of said rollers when said actuator is in the battery positionfor blocking rotation of said drum.

2. The gun as described `in`claim`1" and including a pair of wing members pivotally mounted to opposite sides of said actuator for respective movement between an engaging and a depressed position, a cam` surface disposed on each of said Wing members for engagement by one of said rollers when the corresponding one of said wing members is in theengaged position, and means fon actuating said wing members into alternate egagement with alternate ones of said rollers to successively accelerate and decelerate said drum during reciprocation of said actuator.

3. The gun as described in claim 2 and including a link connecting saidwing members for simultaneously opposite movementybetween the engagedand depressed positions, spring meansdisposedbetween a selected one of said wing members and said actuator forbiasing said selected wing member to the `engaged.position to predetermine the direction of rotation of said drum, and a follower surface on said selected wing member disposed for engagement by successive ones of said rollers to pivot said selected wing member to the depressed position and the other one of said wing members to the engaged position for the engagement of said cam surface thereon with one of said rollers to decelerate said drum for alignment of the succeeding one of said cartridge chambers with said barrel during movement of said actuator to the battery position.

4. 'The gun as described in claim 2 and including a transversal passage in said actuator to provide clearance for rotation of successive ones of said rollers across said actuator from engagement with one side of said tongue into position for engagement by the other side thereof 15 during movement of said actuator to the battery position and for subsequent engagement by said cam surface on said selected wing member during movement of said actuator to the rearward position to accelerate said drum 5 for rotation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,779,248 Stevens Jan. 29, 1957 2,804,810 Stevens Sept. 3, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 285,180 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1952 (Corresponding Great Britain, 697,934, Sept. 30, 1953) 

